Canine Parvovirus - Symptoms & Reason to Vaccinate

Parvo is a sad, serious, disease.  The most common form of canine parvovirus is one that affects the gastrointestinal tract.  Puppies will become lethargic, will vomit, and have diarrhea.  Any young animal that has vomit or diarrhea for longer than one day should be taken in - even if you think it is not parvo!  Often the diarrhea or vomit will become bloody as the virus begins to attack the body.  Left untreated, a dog that has parvo will most likely die within a few days.  Parvo is a very painful death – and if you suspect your puppy or dog may have it they need to be seen by a veterinarian immediately. 

If caught early enough, dogs that have this disease have a chance at survival.  If the case is severe enough, hospitalization is often times the only means to attempt to save their life.  Not all dogs that receive treatment may survive.

Canine parvovirus is easily prevented by vaccinating young puppies with a series of boosters at 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age.  Depending on when the first vaccine is administered, your regular vet may advise a fourth booster.  It is important to get a series of vaccines because there is a variable range in a young body when natural immunities take over from the ones provided from the mother.  It is equally important to follow up with yearly boosters to maintain the level of immunity necessary to combat the disease. 

Parvovirus is an oral-fecal disease.  It is easily contracted by unvaccinated puppies and dogs by bringing them out to public places or around other unvaccinated dogs.  It is shed into the stool, which then can contaminate the dirt for a long period of time.  This is why veterinarians advises to keep the puppy quarantined to your home and only visit homes of other vaccinated and healthy pets.  You should not take your puppy out to public spaces until 16 weeks of age – after they have received their last set of vaccines.